---
title: 'Principal DFT Engineer at Fortell'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/principal-dft-engineer-fortell-san-francisco-bay-area-ca-fw16xmp99ts7'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-08'
---

# Principal DFT Engineer at Fortell

- **Company:** Fortell
- **Location:** San Francisco Bay Area CA, United States
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Posted:** 2026-03-02
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-08
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/fortell/503cdad3-4fbb-4566-b0a5-b0e6182df8e3

## Job description

Fortell is building breakthrough AI-powered hearing technology that redefines how people experience sound and connect with the world. Powered by custom silicon and advances in hearing science, our hearing aids help people hear, and live, with greater clarity and confidence.

We’re looking for an experienced DFT Engineer to lead full-chip test architecture, from scan and compression logic to MBIST and silicon debug. You’ll collaborate across STA, physical design, memory, and test teams to deliver production-ready silicon with world-class test coverage and diagnostic capability.

Job Responsibilities:

- Develop, architect and implement comprehensive DFT structures tailored to specific design requirements, including full-scan, boundary scan, and memory test strategies.
- Design and implement robust DFT infrastructure, including scan chains, compression logic, MBIST, BIST, JTAG, and other test mechanisms.
- Generate high-quality ATPG test vectors for logic and memory, and analyze DFT coverage to ensure thorough fault detection and diagnostic capability.
- Perform MBIST verification including simulation of memory test algorithms, fault modeling, and debug of failing patterns.
- Verify test patterns using gate-level simulations to identify and address functional or timing-related issues.
- Collaborate closely with STA, physical design, power, and memory compiler teams to debug and resolve DFT/MBIST-related challenges.
- Work in partnership with test engineers to bring up scan and MBIST vectors on silicon, support silicon debug, and ensure successful production testing.

Preferred Qualifications:

- Strong understanding of industry standards and best practices in DFT, ATPG, JTAG, and MBIST.
- Proven experience in developing DFT specifications and architectures for complex designs.
- Expertise in debugging DFT issues, including ATPG patterns, MBIST implementations, coverage analysis, and more.
- Proficiency in Cadence tools like Modus and Genus for DFT implementation, vector generation, and verification.
- Ability to conduct experiments during silicon debug, effectively gather and analyze data to identify root causes.
- Efficient scripting skills using TCL for automating tasks and developing custom flows.

Candidates must reside in the Bay Area and be available for occasional in-person collaboration, with plans to establish a local office in the future. Occasional travel to other company locations may be required.

The target base salary range for this position is $160,000–$300,000 annually, with actual compensation determined by level, experience, and qualifications. Total compensation includes stock options and a generous benefits package.

## About Fortell

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Fortell builds AI-powered hearing aids that use custom silicon and advanced signal processing to clarify speech in noisy environments, helping people understand more of what they hear.
- **Entity Type**: Private (backed by prominent venture capital firms)
- **Headquarters**: New York, New York, United States
- **Founded**: 2021
- **Founders**: Matthew de Jonge (CEO), Andrew Casper (CTO), Igor (last name not publicly available), Cole (last name not publicly available)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Medical device manufacturing (hearing aids), artificial intelligence, healthtech
- **Target customers**: B2C – individuals with hearing loss, especially those who struggle with speech comprehension in noise; also works with audiologists and clinics
- **Mission statement**: "To restore effortless connection through better hearing."

## Products & Services
- **Fortell AI Hearing Aids**: A hardware + software product featuring custom AI chips that separate speech from background noise in real time. The device is fitted and programmed through Fortell’s own audiology clinics (first clinic at 530 Park Ave, New York, NY). The product is marketed as a medical device and is available only after a personalized hearing evaluation and fitting by an audiologist.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not publicly disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Total funding amount not disclosed; backed by Thrive Capital, Founders Fund, Valor Equity Partners, Optum Ventures, Lux Capital, Vast Ventures, Good Friends, Positive Sum, Stonecroft, and Atreides Management.
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Thrive Capital, Founders Fund, Valor Equity Partners (lead investors); advisors include Dr. Barbara Weinstein (Professor of Audiology, NYU), Dr. Kevin Franck (former Chair, Hearing Loss Association of America), Dr. Matt Fitzgerald (Stanford), Dr. Jan Blustein (NYU School of Medicine).
- **Growth Signals**: 
  - 52 employees (LinkedIn) with +1.6% monthly headcount growth
  - 15 active job postings (as of mid-2025), with a 200% monthly increase and 1400% quarterly increase in postings
  - First clinic in New York City; planning to expand to multiple major U.S. cities (e.g., Palm Beach Gardens, FL; Bay Area; Boston; Greenwich, CT)
  - Clinical trials show 50x more words understood vs. leading AI hearing aid in challenging noise; 95% of participants preferred Fortell over 5 top-spec competitors

## Competitive Advantages
- **Custom AI silicon**: Proprietary chips designed specifically for real-time speech separation, not just amplification.
- **Clinical validation**: Randomized controlled trials overseen by external academics demonstrating significant improvement in speech comprehension.
- **Integrated clinic model**: Direct-to-consumer fitting and support through owned audiology clinics, ensuring proper tuning and customer satisfaction.
- **Strong investor syndicate**: Backing from top-tier VCs (Thrive, Founders Fund, Valor) provides credibility and resources.

## Strategic Focus
- **Clinic expansion**: Opening new clinics across the U.S. to increase accessibility.
- **Talent acquisition**: Aggressively hiring across engineering (firmware, DSP, AI, hardware), audiology, quality, supply chain, and operations.
- **Product refinement**: Continuous improvement of AI algorithms and hardware based on real-world feedback and clinical data.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Described as fast-moving, intentional, and mission-driven. Emphasis on cutting-edge science, human-centered design, and improving lives at scale.
- **Work environment**: Hybrid roles available (e.g., Firmware Engineer listed as hybrid on Built In). Office located in New York City with free lunch.
- **Compensation & benefits**: Competitive salary and stock options; top-notch healthcare for employee and family; free lunch; generous paid time off; 401(k) plan; parental leave.
- **Engineering culture**: Opportunity to work on custom silicon, AI/ML, DSP, and hardware in a startup environment with strong scientific backing. Team includes pioneers from Google, Butterfly Network, Mount Sinai, and other top organizations.

## Sources
1. [Fortell.com – Homepage](https://www.fortell.com/)
2. [Fortell.com – About Us](https://www.fortell.com/about-us)
3. [Fortell.com – Careers](https://www.fortell.com/careers)
4. [LinkedIn – Fortell Research Inc](https://www.linkedin.com/company/fortell-research)
5. [Built In – Fortell Research Inc Jobs](https://builtin.com/company/fortell-research-inc/jobs)

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- [Remote Clinical Audiologist](https://feeny.ai/job/remote-clinical-audiologist-fortell-remote-3wafyxbbpz2c)
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- [Senior Marketing Designer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-marketing-designer-fortell-new-york-31ww3ddm33q0) — New York, NY
- [Physical Design Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/physical-design-engineer-fortell-san-francisco-bay-area-ca-pwpnp5w1gt5d) — San Francisco Bay Area CA, United States
- [Senior Technical Program Manager, Product Delivery](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-technical-program-manager-product-delivery-fortell-new-york-748ahvpqp754) — New York, NY
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